Oh yeah! I have a blog!

I really ought to bookmark the post below, because I keep coming back to it for my Thanksgiving Extravaganza Preparation Week. Who would have thought that the blog post I threw together would become my central meal planning hub? I suppose I am quite disorganized this season! I cannot believe I have only a week and a half before The Meal. And you know what I have done? Not much! Thankfully, my family doesn't mind if the meal is served three hours late, or if I need all hands on deck to help me pull it off.

Still, I'm hoping to be a bit more prepared this year than I was last November. I think my mom, sister, and I collapsed in three heaps and did not move after all the dishes were put away. I worked them to the bone - but this time, if I have enough prepared the day before, it won't be such a massive labor force. (It also didn't help that our dishwasher broke THE DAY before Thanksgiving. My mom was washing dishes non-stop!)

I promise to give a more thorough update this year. Last year was such a success that I've felt a bit concerned we won't be able to pull it off again. But when I think that, I just remind myself of all the things that DID go wrong last year - and I tell myself that we certainly can attain that level of achievement again, at least!

Part of the reason I find myself scrambling with only a week and a half left is because we just got home from our annual fall trip to the mitten. Besides a few days in beautiful Charlevoix, I spent time working and hanging out with my family in Detroit. Meanwhile, armed with bow and arrow, Brian roamed to and fro across the land in search of the elusive monster buck.

Someone else that roams to and fro across the land comes to mind, but if you think I'm comparing hunters to Satan, I certainly am.

Am NOT. Am NOT. Excuse me. Ha ha ha. Ha.

Anyway, Brian ended up bringing home two very respectable animals, the skulls of which were boiled in my stock pot late last night, emitting their unmistakable brainy smell. It was so undelightful that I quite seriously told Brian we might as well wait to get pregnant until after next hunting season is over, because any pregnant nose would not be able to handle the atrocities that go on in this kitchen from September to December! Our non-pregnant noses barely can!

But the freezer is now as it should be, stock full of foil-wrapped bricks of venison. One of them is defrosting on my counter as I type, ready to be browned and boiled for dinner. What would that buck have thought if I'd told him that just weeks later, he'd be a pot of enchilada soup? I'll bet he would have laughed in my face.

One final thought, before I escape this empty, echoing blog for yet another month. (JUST teasing. I won't let it happen! My dad refuses to change his homepage from The Wonder Wife, so for his sake, I will post! Post more, that is.)

But back to the news: Brian and I have our very first little niece EVER! (We don't have a nephew, either, but is there a gender-inclusive term for nieces and nephews? It doesn't sound right to say that we have our 'very first niece or nephew.' Aunt-child? Uncle-children?) Anyway, Brian's extraordinary sister, Kelly, after 48 hours of unmedicated labor, gave birth to beautiful, precious Lake Leigh on November 10, 2010. She and her husband David (married in the Bahamas only February) were so ready for her! It was wonderful to be able to see Kelly's last days of pregnancy during our visit.

(Her very smart and loving Aunt Maegan guessed her weight (8 lb. 2 oz.) down to the ounce!)

Anyway, David and Kelly could not have brought such a beautiful little girl into a more loving and anxiously waiting family. Lake is going to be absolutely surrounded by love, and this Christmas, I guarantee Uncle Brian and Aunt Maegan will add to the throng! Thankfully, Brian's older sister Christie (and her husband Mike, married in Mexico in May!) will be adding another baby to the mix in April. And in less than two weeks, we'll know if it'll be another niece or a nephew!

This is such a wonderful feeling, to be seeing the family grow by all these little feet. Maybe by this time next year, we'll have an announcement to make too!

Oh WAIT. Gotta remember! Not getting pregnant until AFTER hunting season. AFTER. Please remind me of this. Those skulls in that stock pot were... unspeakable.